4. Identify and describe the major leadership positions in both houses of Congress. Explain the role of political parties in the organization of Congress.
The leaders of the House of Representatives are the Speaker of the House, the majority and minority leaders, and the Republican and Democratic House whips. The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives, is elected at the beginning of each new Congress, and is almost always part of the majority party. In addition, the Speaker has the most individual power in the House, and he or she works directly with the president on issues in the House. Next in line in the hierarchy of the House of Representatives are the majority and minority leaders. These positions are chosen in their individual caucuses (Democrats and Republicans). Both leaders work with the Speaker and help to schedule debates on legislation. The final leadership positions in the House are the Republican and Democratic whips, which are selected by the Republican and Democratic parties respectively. The whips attempt to gain support on partisan issues in their individual parties and communicate with the Speaker and the majority and minority leaders the word of the parties. According to the Constitution, the vice president is the presiding officer of the Senate. In absence of the vice president, the chair of the Senate is the president pro tempore who is chosen by the majority party in the Senate. However, neither the vice president nor the president pro tem presides over the Senate often. The real leader is the majority leader, which is again elected by the majority party. While these leadership positions are important, leadership positions in the House of Representatives have more power because there are less members in the Senate. In addition, Senators are granted more individual power than representatives, so leadership positions do not have as much influence. Political parties play an important role in the organization of Congress. Each house is divided into the majority and minority parties. The majority party is the party with the most members in each house, and the minority is the party with the second most members in each house. These parties are important in the committee system. Committees are controlled by the majority leaders schedule debates on legislation in Congress. In addition, each “caucus” meets before Congress comes to session and discusses nominations of officers, reviewing committee assignments, and discussing party policy.
Information from American Government: Roots and Reform
The Speaker of the House is the only officer of the House of Representatives specifically mentioned in the Constitution; elected at the beginning of each new Congress by the entire House; traditionally a member of the majority party. Majority leader is the elected leader of the party controlling the most seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate, is second in authority to the Speaker of the House and in the Senate is regarded as the most powerful member. Minority leader is the elected leader of the party with the second highest number of elected representatives in the House of Representatives or the Senate. Whip is the key member who keeps close contact with all members who keeps close contact with all members of his or her party and takes nose counts on key votes, prepares summaries of bills, in general acts a communication link within a party, and assist the Speaker and majority and minority party leaders in their leadership efforts. There are two whips, the Democratic and Republican whip, who are elected by party members in caucuses. The Constitution says that the presiding officer of the Senate is the vice president. The viced president is not a member of the Senate, but votes only in case of a tie. The official chair of the Senate is the presidente pro tempore, who is selected by the majority party and presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president. The pro temp today is primarily a honorific office that generally goes to the most senior senator of the majority party. The true leader of the Senate is the majority leader, which is mentioned above earlier as the an elected position by the majority party.The organization of both houses of Congress are closely tied to political parties and their strength in each house, thus showing why parties are very important. The division of Congress is determined by parties, and divided between majority and minority parties. The majority party is the party in each house with the most number of members. The minority party is the party with the second highest amount of members. Parties play a key role is the committees, which is an organizational feature of Congress. The committees, which are controlled by the majority party, set the agendas.
Majority leader of the Senate has the most power in that house.
Speaker of the House has the most power in that house.
The majority party in each house has more members on EVERY COMMITTEE and controls the CHAIR. January 3, 2011 every committee in the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES will switch from Democratic to Republican control. Senate committees will remain under Democratic control.
The leaders of the House of Representatives are the Speaker of the House, the majority and minority leaders, and the Republican and Democratic House whips. The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives, is elected at the beginning of each new Congress, and is almost always part of the majority party. In addition, the Speaker has the most individual power in the House, and he or she works directly with the president on issues in the House. Next in line in the hierarchy of the House of Representatives are the majority and minority leaders. These positions are chosen in their individual caucuses (Democrats and Republicans). Both leaders work with the Speaker and help to schedule debates on legislation. The final leadership positions in the House are the Republican and Democratic whips, which are selected by the Republican and Democratic parties respectively. The whips attempt to gain support on partisan issues in their individual parties and communicate with the Speaker and the majority and minority leaders the word of the parties.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Constitution, the vice president is the presiding officer of the Senate. In absence of the vice president, the chair of the Senate is the president pro tempore who is chosen by the majority party in the Senate. However, neither the vice president nor the president pro tem presides over the Senate often. The real leader is the majority leader, which is again elected by the majority party. While these leadership positions are important, leadership positions in the House of Representatives have more power because there are less members in the Senate. In addition, Senators are granted more individual power than representatives, so leadership positions do not have as much influence.
Political parties play an important role in the organization of Congress. Each house is divided into the majority and minority parties. The majority party is the party with the most members in each house, and the minority is the party with the second most members in each house. These parties are important in the committee system. Committees are controlled by the majority leaders schedule debates on legislation in Congress. In addition, each “caucus” meets before Congress comes to session and discusses nominations of officers, reviewing committee assignments, and discussing party policy.
Information from American Government: Roots and Reform
The Speaker of the House is the only officer of the House of Representatives specifically mentioned in the Constitution; elected at the beginning of each new Congress by the entire House; traditionally a member of the majority party. Majority leader is the elected leader of the party controlling the most seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate, is second in authority to the Speaker of the House and in the Senate is regarded as the most powerful member. Minority leader is the elected leader of the party with the second highest number of elected representatives in the House of Representatives or the Senate. Whip is the key member who keeps close contact with all members who keeps close contact with all members of his or her party and takes nose counts on key votes, prepares summaries of bills, in general acts a communication link within a party, and assist the Speaker and majority and minority party leaders in their leadership efforts. There are two whips, the Democratic and Republican whip, who are elected by party members in caucuses. The Constitution says that the presiding officer of the Senate is the vice president. The viced president is not a member of the Senate, but votes only in case of a tie. The official chair of the Senate is the presidente pro tempore, who is selected by the majority party and presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president. The pro temp today is primarily a honorific office that generally goes to the most senior senator of the majority party. The true leader of the Senate is the majority leader, which is mentioned above earlier as the an elected position by the majority party.The organization of both houses of Congress are closely tied to political parties and their strength in each house, thus showing why parties are very important. The division of Congress is determined by parties, and divided between majority and minority parties. The majority party is the party in each house with the most number of members. The minority party is the party with the second highest amount of members. Parties play a key role is the committees, which is an organizational feature of Congress. The committees, which are controlled by the majority party, set the agendas.
ReplyDeleteMajority leader of the Senate has the most power in that house.
ReplyDeleteSpeaker of the House has the most power in that house.
The majority party in each house has more members on EVERY COMMITTEE and controls the CHAIR. January 3, 2011 every committee in the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES will switch from Democratic to Republican control. Senate committees will remain under Democratic control.